Fairfield Mirror 10/14/2020

THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper

Week of October 14, 2020

Vol. 46 Iss. 5

Fairfield Restricts Beach Residents from Campus, Suspends Athletics

By Danielle Sondgeroth News Editor

Fairfield University has entered COVID-19 Status Level: Orange, or moderate risk, as of Oct. 9. All students living at the beach will be restricted from campus through Oct. 23. All Fairfield athletics, which include National Collegiate Athletic Association sports, club sports and intramurals, will be suspended for the next two weeks, including practices.

Both President Mark Nemec and Karen Donoghue, vice president of student life, emailed students late Friday morning to update them on the breaking COVID-19 mitigation.

“The decision was not made lightly,” said Donoghue. “But it is the situation we do believe will allow us to resume normal activities within the next two weeks.”

“Over the last 48 hours, we have seen a significant increase in positive COVID-19 cases within specific populations of the Fairfield University student community,” read Nemec’s email. “While overall campus rates remain low, aggressive mitigation strategies are warranted to manage the outbreak in these identified populations, and to limit further infection.”

According to Donoghue, the infection rate at the beach is about 8 percent, which is significantly higher than the national average of 3.9 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Going forward, all beach residents will be restricted to online classes and will only be allowed to interact with their housemates.

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Mingling between residences is prohibited, and students may only leave their residences for “essential reasons,” according to the email sent by Donoghue. Beach residents are permitted to return home for the two weeks if they choose, but must provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test upon their return to campus.

All varsity, club and intramural sports have been put on hold for two weeks as well.

Athletic facilities, including the Thomas J. Walsh Athletic Center and the Leslie C. Quick Recreation Complex will be closed.

Paul Schlickmann, the director of athletics, stressed the gravity of the situation.

“As part of an aggressive strategy implemented by the University’s COVID-19 task force to mitigate further infections, Fairfield Athletics has paused all athletic activity for

the next 14 days,” he said. “During this time period, and as we proceed with the completion of the semester, it is imperative that all of our student-athletes be attentive, compliant and vigilant in all aspects of their campus life, in order to protect the health and safety of each other and of our entire University community.”

Schlickmann plans to hold all athletes accountable for their actions if any of the COVID-19 guidelines

are broken.

The Department of Athletics declined to disclose the number of athletes who have tested positive, citing HIPAA regulations.

The University plans to increase testing significantly for disproportionately affected populations. According to a webinar hosted on Oct. 9, randomized testing will also see an increase in the coming weeks.

Students at the beach, much like the quarantined residents in Claver Hall, may expect “two tests within the next two weeks thanks to University oversight,” said Donoghue in the webinar.

Continue Reading COVID on Page 2

Study Abroad Soldiers On for Spring 2021

Photo Courtesy of fairfield.edu

By Anwen Su Contributing Writer

Students planning to study abroad in the spring of 2021 are looking at an especially unique semester.

Fairfield University’s study abroad programs have already been heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The Spring 2020 programs met an abrupt and untimely end and the Fall 2020 programs were cancelled altogether. Now, study abroad is communicating with its partner institutions at various locations to evaluate the viability of programs for the spring of 2021.

Study abroad is planning to continue with programs this spring, according to Global Fairfield. However, capacity restrictions, as necessary as they may be, have presented a host of unique challenges. The number of available study locations is lower than normal, as well as the amount of courses offered. Some programs have been pushed back to start later than scheduled as a result of Visa and capacity issues.

Programs for Spring 2021 will be offered in France, Italy and the United Kingdom. Applications are also being accepted for programs in Greece, Germany, the Czech Republic and within the United States, including Hawaii and Washington D.C. Unfortunately, travel restrictions are still a very real concern.

On Oct. 7 the Italian government extended its state of emergency until Jan. 31, 2021. Travel from certain countries and to certain areas within Italy is restricted. Currently, United States citizens are permitted to travel to Italy, but only for reasons including work and studying.

No tourism is allowed. Furthermore, students will have to fill out a self-declaration form stating their reason for travel upon arrival in Italy, and then self-isolate. These restrictions could greatly impact the Florence study abroad program, which is particularly popular among Fairfield students.

On Aug. 7, the health advisory for travel from the U.S. to the United Kingdom went down from four to three. However, U.S. citizens are still advised to reconsider their travels. On Oct. 8, there was a spike of over 17,000 new cases in the U.K. Due to this spike, Fairfield’s two U.K. programs in London and Newcastle may be affected.

Assuming that the study abroad programs will take place as planned, protective measures will be taken to ensure students’ safety.

Most of these measures revolve around reducing capacity. For example, the Institute for American Universities, (IAU), Fairfield’s partner school in France, is decreasing the number of spots available per class. IAU is aiming for in-person learning by Spring 2021, so size reduction will be a necessary precaution to keep in adherence with social distancing rules. Partner institutions at various study abroad locations will be offering fewer courses than normal, and in a variety of formats.

In order to preserve the health of students and host staff abroad, new policies will be put in place in regard to housing and independent travel. Before applying to study abroad, students are advised to review these policies and decide if they will be able to comply. Some students may have trouble abiding by strict regulations while in the throes of the thrilling experience of being in another country. Katherine Kelley ‘22, who previously considered studying abroad, feels it is better to just stay home.

“What’s the point of studying abroad if you can’t see other countries and local sites or experience the culture?” she asked. “There’s not much of a difference between being stuck on campus and being stuck in your host home, when you can’t really see the country you came to study in.”

Additionally, despite the protective measures, some students are still apprehensive about the virus and have decided not to study abroad this coming spring at all.

Although there is still considerable cause for concern, there is also plenty of time for the situation to improve by January of 2021. Students planning to study abroad for the spring semester are advised to check regularly for updates, and email their study abroad advisor with any questions.

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Online Classes

Opinion

In order to keep students safe from COVID-19 Fairfield switches even more classes to an online format.

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Joan Osborne

Vine

An interview with the Grammy nominated artist before she comes to Connecticut.

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Stag Spotlight

Sports Seamus O’Brien is a redshirt senior on the Fairfield University men’s rowing team.

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THE MIRROR | Week of October 14, 2020

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Campus Restricts Beach Residents Continued from Page 1 Donoghue stressed that the University has a zero-tolerance policy towards anyone not following the COVID-19 guidelines and mitigations. “Failure to comply with all mandates issued by the University and public health authorities ultimately may result in permanent separation (i.e., expulsion) from the University,” she said.

New security measures have been put in place to ensure that the COVID-19 directives are being followed by beach residents.

Dean of students, Will Johnson, confirmed in the Oct. 9 webinar that, “our Department of Public Safety will be doing hourly drive-bys, especially on Fairfield Beach Road, to ensure that students are following the directives.”

Alison Berger, the associate dean of students, confirmed Johnson’s statement, emphasizing that, “Fairfield police will be in the area and neighbors may submit reports as well.”

Johnson also stressed that University officials will be making frequent rounds through the beach to make sure students are adhering to the directives.

In an email to students on Oct. 9, Johnson confirmed that “this directive does not apply to commuter students living at the primary home of their family,” so only beach residents will need to comply with the new regulations.

Accusations have been made by students that some students who are not following the COVID-19 guidelines do not seem to be facing any consequences. One anonymous student wrote: “So far, [the students] have not faced any consequences from the school and it is frustrating to those of us who are following the rules.”

However, Johnson guaranteed that these students are being handled accordingly. “With any report that comes to our office, the students are being addressed,” he said. Johnson also strongly encourages students to call out their peers for breaking the rules, stating that “if you see people that are doing what they’re not supposed to be doing, let us know.”

Nassar Eljamal ‘21, president of the Beach Resident Advocacy Group (BRAG), believes that the drastic measures put in place by Fairfield’s administration are essential to returning to normalcy on campus.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious matter, and the school is doing everything in their power to keep us students and the Fairfield community safe,” he said. “The school is only doing what they have to do. Since arriving on campus, Fairfield University has done a great job pushing the faculty and students to abide by the regulations that we have all been following for the last few months.” He de-

Data compiled by Danielle Sondgeroth from the Fairfield University COVID-19 Dashboard scribes the regulations as “just another speed bump in the road,” and is confident that the student body will be able to gradually recover.

Between Oct. 8 and Oct. 12, 57 new positive cases were found through randomized testing, one of which was a faculty or staff member, bringing the total number of semester cases to 237. 13 students are currently quarantined on campus, and 13 are under surveillance by the University. However, 11 students were cleared to return to campus.

In total this semester, 116 students have been cleared.

It seems that most Stags are hopeful that students will continue to be cautious in this unprecedented time.

Claver Hall “It is our hope that students take the messages from President Nemec and vice president Donoghue seriously, for the health, safety and academic continuity of our entire community,” said Jenn Anderson, vice president of marketing and communication. “We are counting on them, and they are counting on each other.”

Photo Courtesy of fairfield.edu

begins its second week in quaratine.

Johnson stated, “I remain confident that our University will rise to the occasion and overcome this difficult period.”

Eljamal said that, “It is in our hands now to work together, quarantine when needed and stay healthy.”

Campus Ministry Hosts COVID-19 Memorial

By Danielle Sondgeroth News Editor The mood was somber at “Praying Through a Pandemic: A Service of Hope and Remembrance” on Oct. 12. The interfaith service was held via Zoom at 5:30 p.m. and it invited the Fairfield community to join Campus Ministry in mourning the loss of victims of COVID-19 and to pray for a better tomorrow.

The service opened with an introduction from Father Gerald R. Blaszczak, who led a prayer for hope in the midst of this virus. He then introduced President Mark Nemec, who offered some of his thoughts and prayers.

“Originally, we had hoped to hold this service in-person, but out of an abundance of caution, we decided to make the service remote,” Nemec said. “These months have taught us that at Fairfield we are anything but remote from one another. The bonds we share are strong and deep.”

Nemec described the coronavirus as “the greatest public health crisis in 100 years,” a sentiment echoed by the sheer number of cases and deaths in the United States. Since March, the U.S. has seen almost eight million cases and over 210,000 dead according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But, despite these numbers, Nemec encouraged Fairfield to remain hopeful.

“Fairfield remembers, Fairfield unites and Fairfield prays,” he said.

Rabbi James Prosnit provided a prayer, citing the book of Lamentations in the Bible and calling on all students of faith to pray for their campus community and the nation throughout all of the chaos seen over the past seven months.

The Muslim and Protestant chaplains both spoke and gave their prayers, echoing similar sentiments to Prosnit.

Following these prayers, David Rinaldi, son of the late Fairfield professor, novelist and poet, Nicholas Rinaldi, gave a moving eulogy in remembrance of

his father who passed away this spring due to complications from COVID-19.

Two Fairfield students were also given the opportunity to speak. Chris Navarro ‘22 spoke about his family’s financial struggle in the spring and summer, which led to him accepting a job as a waiter at a restaurant. He returned to campus on Aug. 16, but soon found out that he had contracted COVID-19. He was forced to quarantine for 12 days in the Conference Center. Navarro said that he spent most of his time in quarantine reflecting on his life and trying to keep a positive attitude about the situation, despite how bleak it seemed.

“We all need to have that little bit of hope that we can grow,” he said.

David Marrero ‘22 and his mother both contracted COVID-19 back in the spring.

His mother was exposed to the virus after administering COVID-19 tests as a healthcare worker. While his mother remained mostly asymptomatic, Marrero began to experience intense symptoms.

“I didn’t tell anyone about my shortness of breath because I didn’t want to go to the hospital,” he said. “I stuck it out at home.”

Marrero quarantined at home for a total of 22 days, and said that he sometimes felt lost while he had the virus.

“I don’t want anyone else to experience COVID-19 like I did,” he said. “It was physically and mentally draining.”

After a closing prayer

by Father Paul Rourke, vice provost Jocelyn Boruczka announced a digital remembrance project through the DiMenna-Nyselius Library. Students and staff alike will be able to post their thoughts, prayers and pictures on a digital remembrance wall, found on the library website.

Although the mood of the event remained solemn, and at times sullen, each speaker reminded us that we need to stay hopeful throughout the pandemic.

“Dealing with COVID-19 is like walking through a dark tunnel,” said Marrero. “You don’t know where you’re going, but there’s a light at the end of it.”

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THE MIRROR | Week of October 14, 2020

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Students Tell Their Quarantine Stories for Maresca to pass the time. However, he did note that the situation forced him to focus on his schoolwork.

Though limited in fresh air, Maresca was well-nourished during this quarantine.

“I was able to order room service at certain times during the day, and this was actually good because they had quality food options at the hotel. They served breakfast, lunch and dinner, with no limitations on meals or waters,” said Maresca.

Another Fairfield student who wished to remain anonymous told The Mirror about a simultaneous quarantine experience that had some similarities and differences. First off, this student, who was requested by the University to participate in random testing, did in fact test positive. This student, along with one of his roommates, who also tested positive, was escortPhoto Courtesy of wikipedia.com ed to the Conference Center on a Department of Public Safety golf cart. The two students were Students who tested positive for the virus quarantine in the then walked to their respective rooms and handed Conference Center on campus. a bag filled with instructions and other small items. tine. “While it was definitely a tough week, I was able to The anonymous student spent eight days alone in communicate with my family and friends, whether it was quarantine. However, he actually did not find the exvia Facetime, text or phone calls,” said the student. perience to be terrible at first, citing an overwhelming Focusing on his schoolwork remained the only opworkload as a beneficial means of distracting him from his tion left for this student as well. predicament.

“This quarantine sort of forced me to do work be“A normal day in quarantine would consist of me cause there was nothing better to do.” getting up around 10:30,” said the student, acknowledgHis congestion, as well as the loss of taste and smell, ing how he tried to sleep as much as cleared up over the course of the week, and the student bepossible, given his contraction of the came increasingly eager to escape his isolation. In addition virus. After receiving his lunch delivery to three hearty meals selected from a variety of options, at 12:30 p.m., the student then worked or attended Zoom class until dinner was the student also received various phone calls from Fairfield, supporting him as his antsiness became amplified. delivered at 6 p.m.

“One call I would get was from the Health Center, “That was definitely a highlight of checking in on my health and symptoms. They would ask the day,” said the student. “My suiteabout my most recent temperature and also what my oxymates and I would typically Facetime gen levels were,” he commented. “I would also get a phone every night for dinner because we were [call] from Counseling Services once a day. They would all in our separate quarantine. I would always check in on me to see how I was doing, and told me be able to catch up with them, have a to call them if I ever needed someone to talk to.” few laughs and enjoy my dinner.”

While Fairfield’s support clearly resonated with Dinner was followed by a shower these students, they both display how communication and then watching either a movie or with friends and focusing on schoolwork served as the two some sports on his laptop; this routine Photo Courtesy of ihg.com main methods in persevering through the tough time. covers the extent of each day in quaran Students who have tested negative for the virus, but have been exposed to it, isolate at the Holiday Inn in Bridgeport.

By Andrew Murphy Staff Writer As a result of widespread testing procedures, many Fairfield students on campus have learned of their contraction of the coronavirus. Testing not only reveals which students have the virus, but also which students could potentially have it, thanks to contact-tracing. In order to prevent any further spread of the virus, these students who had contact with those infected can escape the danger of their close proximity to others through quarantine and isolation.

“I was in quarantine for nine days at the Holiday Inn,” said Andrew Maresca ‘23. Maresca, who was in contact with multiple roommates that tested positive, repeatedly tested negative for the virus. However, he still had to enter isolation as a precaution.

Before returning to his home in Massachusetts, Maresca was confined to this hotel room, where he could not inhale a single breath of fresh air.

“The hardest part of being in quarantine was not being able to go outside at all, and just thinking about this was hard,” said Maresca.

Representatives from the University Health Center as well as Counseling & Psychological Services contacted Maresca throughout his time in isolation. In an attempt to remain distracted from the situation, he tried to stay in contact with his friends. This interaction, along with makeshift bodyweight workouts, night-time video gaming and watching sports, provided a limited number of ways

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First Year Experience Alters Learning for First Years

By Olivia Burke Contributing Writer First Year Experience (FYE), is the class that every first-year student takes their first semester at Fairfield to help them adjust to college life. This program has experienced some drastic changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New student leaders (NSLs), who are responsible for teaching the FYE courses, have had to change their teaching methods in order to make them more appropriate for the current situation. To get more information on the subject, we interviewed Corinne Cude ‘22, a Fairfield University student who has seen firsthand the difference between FYE before and after the impact of the pandemic, having been an NSL and FYE instructor for two years.

Like many other classes at Fairfield, most FYE classes are fully online, but some have taken on a hybrid approach. Cude teaches a hybrid class herself, in which “the class is divided in half, where half of the class attends online while the other half is in-person” with “both groups attending concurrently.”

Each half takes turns attending class in-person or online. The location of in-person class meetings depends on which FYE class the students are in, as every NSL teaches their class a little differently.

Cude’s class takes place in a classroom in Langguth, with the majority of NSLs having been assigned to different indoor locations with varying COVID-19 room capacities.

NSLs may also decide to have classes outdoors.

The FYE courses have had to make other changes, and many aspects that were always a huge part of FYE have now been modified or had their roles reduced.

For example, icebreakers, which any Fairfield student who experienced FYE pre-COVID-19 will tell you, have always been a characterizing aspect of every class. I remember starting each

required to attend seven in-person events with different and every class with at least one icebreaker, to help us themes to earn the three kinds of credits: thrive, inspire first-year students get to know each other or start a conand connect. versation related to the theme of class for that day.

Themes ranged from peer pressure to coping Cude explained that now students “can’t with failure. attend in-person events the same way anymore.” The amount of required events has According to Cude, icebreakers have now been modified “so that been reduced from seven to five, and any events that students attend now they are compliant with social must be socially-distanced and take distancing.” Icebreakers often place outdoors, or occur over Zoom. require students to get up and Events also have a maximum capacimove around or be in close proxty for student attendance, which was imity to each other. This makes not in place before COVID-19. icebreakers extremely difficult to These changes that have taken pull off in our new learning enplace may appear to inhibit students vironment. Many NSLs still make from connecting with one another, but icebreakers a part of their class, but their usage has been reduced. they are necessary in order to protect students from contracting the virus.

Another element of FYE that Photo Courtesy of NSLs, including Cude, are doing their was once a major part of the class but has @fairfieldnsls Instagram now changed is the in-person events that best during these difficult times to continue to help students adapt to their new college students were required to attend in order to lifestyle, while also providing them with safe, fun ways to receive certain credits. Attending these events were vital connect with each other. during a student’s first-year. They were a fun way to meet new people or hang out with friends. Students used to be

Photo Courtesy of fairfield.edu

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Jiwei Xiao

By An Nguyen Contributing Writer

When some of us think about learning a new language, the most popular choices would be Spanish, French or perhaps Italian. However, there’s an amazing language from a country on the other side of the globe, Chinese, and it is currently taught at Fairfield University by Jiwei Xiao, Ph.D. When starting the Chinese language course with Xiao, myself and many other students were intimidated by the new language. However, thanks to Xiao, learning a foreign language becomes easier. She has gone the extra mile to accommodate and acquaint us with the novel Chinese culture.

“I want to incorporate imagination into my teaching, and give my inputs so my students can produce their own output, so that they can connect to it on a deeper level, and eventually the language becomes theirs,” Xiao said.

However, Xiao has done so much more than teach language, both inside and outside of Fairfield University. She is also teaching and researching Chinese fiction and world cinema at Fairfield, while writing scholarly pieces about literature and cinema for The New York Review Daily, The Los Angeles

Review of Books and Journal of Contemporary China, among others. Despite her academic achievements, she still faces a lot of discrimination as a female scholar and as an Asian person that works in a white-dominant career path.

“This has really made me feel conscious about who I am and what I can do,” said Xiao, when we spoke about racism in Photo Courtesy of fairfield.edu academia, “But, I think eventually we have to earn our respect by learning and proving ourselves constantly.”

“I’ve been told that my English is not adequate in the peer review process several times, but I’ve turned it into a motivation to constantly improve myself instead of discouraging me from doing what I love. When we have a passion for something, we can go through anything for it,” she said.

Xiao’s words have truly moved me, and I think they will move other students as well, especially in a time of uncertainty like the one we are experiencing, when helplessness is overtaking.

As a person whose family is residing in Wuhan, Xiao understands what it’s like to go through a tough time with this pandemic. When asked about advice she would give to students in regard to the situation of COVID-19, she said, “it’s important to remember that it will all pass, and in the meantime we have to make do of the situation and not let the dark side of the world consume us. Please reach out to people who you can count on and ask for support.”

Xiao remarked that she has a maternal care for her students, and thinks that other professors should also genuinely care about their students, to help each other get through these hard times.

Photo Courtesy of fairfield.edu

“I want to incorporate imagination into my teaching, and give my inputs so my students can produce their own output, so that they can connect to it on a deeper level, and eventually the language becomes theirs.”

Opinion

Opinion

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THE MIRROR | Week of October 14, 2020

Editor Maria DiGregorio» maria.digregorio@student.fairfield.edu

Zoom Provides an Easier Adjustment to the Hybrid Classroom By: Catherine Howley Contributing Writer

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is still a major issue in our country, Fairfield University made the executive decision to offer students the option to be totally remote or come to campus to attend in-person classes for the Fall 2020 semester. That being said, they did allow professors to choose from three options, as to how they would like to teach their courses for this semester: online, in-person or hybrid.

For the fall semester, I made the decision to be in-person for my classes, as well as to live on campus. I found this would be the best option for me, as having to learn remotely for a majority of last semester was something I did not enjoy. I found I was not able to concentrate as much over Zoom as I was in the classroom. Sitting in a classroom in front of a professor is much more effective than sitting at my kitchen table or in bed listening to my professor lecture. However, I did still have some concerns about coming back to campus. While I do believe it was the best decision for me, I wanted to make sure the University was still going to implement guidelines and rules for the campus community to follow, in order to keep everyone safe and healthy.

All classrooms on campus were adjusted to fit the criteria of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, ensuring all desks are six feet apart. In addition, the University has also enforced that masks be worn at all times on campus, which includes the duration of all in-person classes, whenever you are in an academic building and even walking around campus.

For me, all of my professors chose different ways to teach their courses this semester. One professor made the decision to go fully remote-hybrid, two made the decision to teach in a hybrid fashion and one made the decision to be in-person. My fifth class for this semester was already an online class, so there were no adjustments made there.

My communication class, which was originally planned to be in-person, transitioned to a remote-hybrid class. This class was supposed to meet on Monday and Thursday mornings. The way the class is operated now is that we meet on Zoom on Monday morning at our scheduled time, and then take our class time on Thursdays to participate in our weekly discussion board on Blackboard.

As for my hybrid classes, one is a turbo, and one is a twice a week class. For my hybrid turbo, I am in-person every other week, and on Zoom for the other weeks. As for my one in-person class, it is also a turbo which meets once a week. Since there are very few students in this class, the professor was able to find a large enough classroom that could seat all of us six feet apart. While we are in-person for this class, our professor is remote. Due to this set up, myself as well as the other students, are all together in the classroom and we log on to Zoom during class time to listen to our professor. Even though my professor is on Zoom, I am happy that we are still able to be in a classroom, as I have found that I am able to con-

Photo Contributed by @FairfieldU Twitter

Fairfield University students pose during a Zoom lecture.

centrate much better there than I am able to from my room.

Overall, I think Zoom is a great platform and tool for schools and universities to use, as it allows for a large number of students to gather together virtually. While it is a great tool, I do feel that it does not contribute as well to students’ learning as in-person classes do. I have found that it is very easy for me to get distracted while on Zoom classes because I am not fully present. Many times, for my morning classes, I roll out of bed and walk to my desk to go on to Zoom. Normally, I would wake up about 45 minutes prior to the start of my class, shower, get dressed, eat and head to class. This routine would allow for me to be fully awake and present for class.

Online and hybrid classes have definitely been an adjustment for me, and something I still have not fully gotten used to. It is nice that two of my professors have chosen the hybrid option for class, as I prefer learning in a classroom environment and am much more focused there. The University has been doing all they can to ensure their students, faculty and administration remain healthy and safe, so I know this is just as hard of an adjustment for them as it is for us students. If we all keep following the protocols and doing as we are told, I believe there will be some hope that classes will be back in-person next semester.

Presidential Debate Proves Polarization and Trump's Prowess By: Brittany Misiora Contributing Writer

Everyone watching the 2020 Presidential Debate probably came out of it thinking, ‘chaotic,’ ‘a brawl’ or ‘embarrassing.’ This is something that Americans can definitely agree on because we know as a country that we can do better than this, and the people we choose to represent us should also do better, in order to unite the country. Despite the obvious, yet sometimes entertaining, issues with the debate, including the constant interrupting, name calling and unwillingness to focus on the questions posed, the debate was definitely what America needed to see. Voters, especially independents, needed to watch President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden fight it out, live on stage.

For the last year, President Trump gave Biden the nickname, “Joe Hiden” due to his rare sightings in public. Biden has barely left his home for interviews, and has been using teleprompters and hiding behind a screen, using the coronavirus as his excuse. America needed to see Joe Biden fight for his campaign, fight Trump and show the country what he believes in because I am not sure anyone really knows. Is he a moderate, or is he going to become a puppet of the far left, with Kamala Harris by his side, who is considered, as stated in an Essence article, “the most liberal compared to all Senators?”

According to Alpha News, Representative Ilhan Omar seems to believe that he will, saying that Biden's presidential platform is “the most progressive platform a president has ever run on.” If Joe Biden can't clearly win a debate against Trump, why should America trust him to be able to fight Communist China or ISIS? Many even question how long Biden will last in office if he wins, meaning Kamala Harris, will become our president.

This was the main question from the night of the debate: Was there a clear winner or loser? It's hard to say, but based on Biden’s performance, he did not win. Going into this debate, the bar was set incredibly low for Biden. According to Fox News, a main focus for the debate was if Biden could show up for the full 90 minutes. It was unknown if he could last without any gaffes, stuttering or forgetting what state he was in. Biden’s strategy of the night seemed to be playing defense. For the majority of the debate, he focused on President Trump, in order to avoid talking about his plans for the next four years. He made it personal, calling Trump a “racist,” “killer,” “clown” and claiming that Trump told the country to “drink bleach.”

All this did was satisfy the Democratic party, because their sole purpose of the election is to remove President Trump from office.

On the other hand, President Trump, per usual, came out swinging, showing his dominance. Afterwards, the media exploded with statements about President Trump's constant interrupting, which were included in a video from Fox News. One reporter called it “an assault on our presidential campaign process.” Although Trump did interrupt too many times, was there a reason? Perhaps it was because Republicans are tired of the mainstream continually not calling Biden out for his history on race, and other policies.

Trump’s plan for the night seemed to be to get Biden on the record on a national stage so voters could clearly be aware of his policy ideas. This is because Biden has been known to flip-flop his opinion in order to pander to minorities and the left. Two major moments were when Photo Contributed by @joebiden Instagram

Biden officiated that he did not support the Green New Deal or defunding the police. Although he has said this in the past, getting Biden to officiate it on a national stage shows the country how inauthentic he is. Another moment that should be highlighted is when Biden was speaking on the economy, and said, “I'm going to eliminate a significant number of the tax–I'm going to make the corporate tax 28 percent. It shouldn't be 21 percent,” as quoted in a full transcript of the debate from the Concord Monitor. This showed American’s what some of Biden’s economic plans are and how he is definite on raising taxes.

Looking at the topics debated, such as the coronavirus, the economy, Supreme Court nominations, climate change and race relations, I thought they were all important issues about which the country needs to talk. Although the topics were very polarizing, they are extremely important to our country’s future.

The first topic that was brought up was the Supreme Court. The question was about whether or not President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barret, should be confirmed or not. Biden clearly answered no, claiming the process should wait until after the election because the American people should choose. On the other hand, President Trump defended his decision, stating that a president is in office for four years, not three, therefore making this his choice. The overturning of Roe v. Wade was also brought up

by Biden; however, President Trump quickly shot that idea down. He claimed that it was not even on the ballot. “Why is it on the ballot?...Why is it on the ballot? It’s not on the ballot…There’s nothing happening there,” President Trump said, as quoted from the Concord Monitor debate transcript.

One thing that I did after watching the debate was read the transcript. While watching the debate, I would sometimes get wrapped up in all the excitement and it was also hard to hear the candidates answers, with the moderator yelling and constantly interrupting. Reading the transcript, there were numerous excellent quotes and moments that showed the candidates’ true colors. In my opinion, the highlight of the night was President Trump saying, “I have done more in 47 months, than you have in 47 years.”

That moment showed the country that Biden has been in government for more than four decades, but what exactly has he done to help communities in need? For the most part, the questions were of good quality, despite the question posed to President Trump on white supremacy.

In 2016, Chris Wallace also asked Trump to denounce white supremacy, so why did he ask him again, and why did he not ask Biden to denounce ANTIFA or the Black Lives Matter riots? Furthermore, why in his question did Wallace use the debunked example of when Trump said the phrase, “very fine people, on both sides.”

This phrase has been continually misused by the media to frame President Trump for being a white supremacist, even though the president was clearly speaking about the the people protesting and tearing down of the statue of General Robert E. Lee. This is just one example of the media spreading fake news about the president, attempting to slander his character.

Overall, it is clear that the country is more polarized and divided than ever. Depending on your political views, everyone will see this debate through a different perspective. No matter your party, what Americans have to remember is that, despite our differences, what brings us together is our love of America, its liberties and its opportunities.

Photo Contributed by @realdonaldtrump Instagram

THE MIRROR | Week of October 14, 2020

Opinion

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COVID-19 Caused the Death of the Cinema

By Kaitlyn Drake Staff Writer

Going to see a movie in theaters was an integral part of many American childhoods, including my own. Whether it was for a family outing, a first date or just a fun day spent with friends, going out to watch a new movie in theaters has been a way for people to come together and spend time with each other while admiring a piece of art. Movie theaters have been suffering from this pandemic as much as we have, but it has only been a matter of time since their extinction would come.

Since the first movie theatre opened in 1905, Americans have been infatuated with the idea of storytelling via a moving picture on a screen. For years, movie theatres have been sanctuaries for people of all ages and backgrounds to congregate and share a unique bonding experience that is unmatched by anything else. Movie theaters have connected Americans in an impactful way, but even before COVID-19 hit, movie theaters were struggling to maintain an audience.

The first problem that movie theaters started facing was the invention and mass production of television. According to an article from the University of Dayton, televisions made moving pictures more accessible to people in the comfort of their own homes. After that, multiplexes started causing the movie theater industry trouble. A multiplex is essentially the standard movie theater that we think of now: an array of different rooms so that people can watch different movies at the same time. As the article states, the influx of new equipment led to bankruptcy in multiple firms, but many still survived by increasing admissions prices to pay back the debts that they owed.

The article also reports that from 1999 to 2001, America saw the greatest decline of movie theaters they had ever experienced. This was because of the invention of streaming services in 1995, according to an article from The Guardian. Like it’s predecessor of television, these services made movies more accessible to people in their own homes. Streaming services thus became the biggest challenge that movie theaters had to face - until the global pandemic.

During the time of COVID-19, many movie theaters were forced to discontinue operations because of the guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even though it hurt their business tremendously. For example, Regal, the runner up to AMC Theaters, has just announced that they are closing all of their 500 locations, according to NPR. This is partially because major movies that would have gained a substantial amount of revenue for these theaters are pushing their release dates to 2021, but it is also because of the takeover of streaming services.

This virus already has, and will forever, alter American culture; but it is now forcing an entire industry to ei-

Editorial Board "Technology Sucks Guys... There's Just Nothing We Can Do"

Catherine Santangelo Editor-in-Chief

Sophocles once said, “Nothing vast enters the life of mortals without a curse.”

This quote is flashed across the screen at the very beginning of a new documentary on Netflix, called “The Social Dilemma.” In this documentary, multiple past employees of some of the largest and most popular internet and social media companies are interviewed about how developments in technology have changed our world. Some of the interviewees include Tristan Harris, a former design ethicist for Google, Jeff Siebert, a former executive for Twitter, Tim Kendall, a former executive for Facebook and former president of Pinterest as well as Justin Rosenstein, a former engineer for Facebook and Google and co-founder of the Facebook ‘like’ button, to name a few. Though it can be said that the advancements in technology and online power that we now possess have been beneficial in many ways, this documentary focuses on most of the negatives of these developments, and how manipulative and controlling they are to human beings.

I was fully expecting to want to delete all of my social media after watching “The Social Dilemma,” and although I did not immediately grab my phone and delete my apps, I will definitely have a better awareness of what goes on behind the scenes when engaging with online platforms.

Most people are actually oblivious to how carefully their online activity is being watched. Every single thing we do on the internet is being monitored, in order to collect data from users. This data is then fed into systems which build models to predict human actions and behaviors. This explains, for example, why advertisements for things you were searching for earlier all of a sudden start popping up in the mar-

ther completely modify itself or shut down entirely.

Streaming services, not surprisingly, have been handling the decline of movie theaters extremely well. Instead of releasing new films in theaters, many producers have been distributing films to streaming services, and either charging audiences to pay to watch the movie from the streaming service, or releasing it on a certain date for free. The problem with making movies available for free on streaming services is that studios will not make revenue from individuals watching the movies at theaters. Because of the need for studios to survive during the pandemic, though, the option to stream new movies has become increasingly enticing.

The one thing that would have saved movie theaters may also be nullified as well: Oscar eligibility. Because of the pandemic, the Academy has revised their rules and eligibility for nominations to include films that were “intended for theatrical release,” but were instead released via a streaming service and films that were released in one of six qualifying locations. These new rules might signify the end of movie festivals, and movie theaters may and will become a rarity among Americans.

Other aspects of American culture that may be altered are things that have already been feeling the impacts of technology’s looming presence. Shopping malls, restaurants and performing arts groups have all been affected by COVID-19, but there is hope for many of these groups. For theaters, though, a replacement is, and has been, readily available for a long time. It was simply a matter of time before that replacement took over.

Creative Commons/Wikimedia Commons

gins of your browser. This monitoring system knows what photos you pause to look at in your feed, and for how long you stop to look at them. It knows how you are feeling, what your interests are, who you have relationships with, what your personality is like and so many more things about you that you probably never imagined anyone but yourself would know.

The scarier part about this is that, even if we are somewhat aware of how much information and data we are putting out there about ourselves, we still choose to use these online platforms every single day. In the documentary, even some of the interviewees admitted that, despite working in this industry and seeing first-hand how much data was being collected from people every single day, they still fell victim to their own social media or online addictions.

This isn’t completely our fault though for a couple of reasons. These developments in our society almost force us to have an online presence, or at least engage with the online universe in some capacity. Especially now, in the time of the coronavirus pandemic, online platforms have become the safest, if not only way for us to connect and communicate with each other. Also, these technological developments are designed and created in order to manipulate us and, as “The Social Dilemma” mentions, to use human psychology against us.

Tristan Harris, former design ethicist for Google, used an analogy for how our brains respond to our social media.

Our desire to keep picking up our phones and opening up our social media is linked to the same feeling that humans have with slot machines. We always want to keep putting tokens in and pulling the lever, for the

chance that we win big, just like we always want to keep picking up the phone to look at our feeds and see what we get. Did we get tagged in a photo on Instagram? Did someone comment on our Facebook post?

Are we getting tons of retweets on Twitter?

The heavy usage of these platforms not only invades our privacy through the amount of data that is collected, but it also takes a toll on our mental health. Our generation grew up with this technology, and because of our heavy usage of these online platforms, the documentary explains that we are more anxious, depressed and fragile.

I want to challenge us all to put down our screens more often. I know it is easier said than done, but try to ignore your desires to log on to social media every day.

We already spend enough time staring at screens for Zoom University, so take a break and engage in other things that don’t invade your privacy or decrease your mental health. The technology will always be there for when you want and need to return to it, because quite honestly, it’s not going away anytime soon; it’s only going to become more advanced with time. However, the opportunities that surround you to make memories and engage in other things, like hanging out with your friends or spending time with your families, are moments that could pass you by if you don’t take advantage of them while they are here.

I don’t believe that any of this technology was initially created for evil. Sure, most of it is created for the purpose of making money, but I also like to think that it was created with good intentions, to benefit people. It has just unfortunately developed into its own monster, and it is our responsibility to decide how much we let that monster affect us.

THE MIRROR | Week of October 14, 2020

The Vine

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By Molly Lamendola Vine Editor In my hometown, it was a right of passage to take piano lessons from a woman with long acrylic nails named Margarita. You’d take a year of lessons, screw up your final performance and then quit before you could successfully tie your own shoes.

Joan Osborne, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, didn’t even make it to a year.

“My piano teacher had this enormous dog that would run out into the yard and just bark at me,” she paused, and though we were talking over the phone, I could hear a smile on her face. “It scared the living daylights out of me, and I, I just couldn’t take it, so I quit piano because of that.”

That didn’t stop music from being a part of her life. She sang in junior high, and because of her school’s phenomenal music program and a wonderful music teacher who challenged them to do difficult pieces, she felt as though she had a pretty good foundation for a singer.

But, it’s not like doing any of this professionally was at the forefront of her mind.

“You know,” she tells me, “I grew up in a little town in Kentucky, so I didn’t think about becoming a musician or a singer as a realistic life choice,” she said, laughing. “It’d be like a real fantasy.”

What she did instead was pack her bags and move to New York.

Her goals were more of the Hollywood variety, attending New York University for a degree in film. This is where her true education of the arts began, but the music still didn’t come purposefully. It was all a big accident.

Osborne told me that she just stumbled upon this fantastic music scene in the late 1980’s. She just so happened to go out for a drink with this guy in a blues bar. There was a microphone, so she went up and sang, with the piano at her back and the audience in front. When she was done, the piano player stopped her and asked her to keep coming back to open mic night. Then, it just sort of spiraled from there.

She started going back there to regularly perform at the open mic nights, and then she started hearing about other open mic nights,

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which she began attending as well. She met this whole world of fantas- performance with a big special shout-out to Planned Parenthood. The tic musicians and discovered that there was this amazing scene. Os- venue was so furious that they banned Osborne from ever playing borne started getting completely sucked into it. She tells me that it there again. got, “to the point where all the money I was supposed to be spendShe laughed and told me that despite all this weight, her new reing on textbooks and tuition for next semester, I was spending on cord has a style which is very “70’s AM radio.” It’s light, uplifting and Etta James records and Howlin’ Wolf records.” She’d go out to see live allows music to take us to a happier, calmer space. It is a break from all bands, and spend all of her time in this life. that’s going on, an opportunity to sit back with headphones, on or play She realized then that she’d regret it eventually if she ignored this it out loud, and take a deep breath. joy she had with music, and thus she decided to do it for the rest of This album has received rave reviews and has seemingly had an her life. international impact. She’s been interviewed by Australian television 30 years later, she’s been nominated for seven Grammys, has shows, people in the Netherlands and now, by me, in Fairfield, CT. toured all over the world and raised a 15-year-old daughter. She’s really What’s so special about Connecticut? Osborne will be performdone it all, and even in the midst of a pandemic, she just released her ing her last in-person show of 2020 at the Ridgefield Playhouse in tenth studio album.

Ridgefield, CT. On Oct. 17, there will be a socially-distanced, outdoor “Trouble and Strife” was released on Sept. 18th. It’s her most po- concert for all to come and hear Osborne in some lovely mid-fall litically charged album yet. weather.

“It’s a response to what’s happening in the world right now, and She welcomes you to come and enjoy it, if you can. a lot of the corruption that’s going on in the world right now and the But, as I am still in the midst of midterms, quizzes, essays and abuse of power,” she told me. writing for this paper, I’ll just have to sit back and listen. I will take a Though this might be her most political yet, Osborne has never deep breath, sip some tea and know that Joan Osborne is speaking for strayed far from fighting for her rights, and the rights of others. She’s me as much as she is speaking to me. done quite a bit of work with Planned Parenthood, including acting as You can listen to her new album here: https://www.joanosborne. a clinic escort, even before her first album came out. “Once I started to com/ have some success in music, I really,” she paused, “I liked being able to Tickets are available for her upcoming Ridgefield Show here: take that focus that people were putting on me and put it on Planned https://ridgefieldplayhouse.org/event/joan-osborne/ Parenthood, and put it on these political organizations that I support.

I felt like that was a great way to use this platform.”

She paused to tell me that this has caused some back and forth with music venues in the past. Once, when playing in a Lilith Fair show in Texas, she was banned from the venue for standing up for the Planned Parenthood table that had been banned from the row of other political and community tables.

“I thought it was ridiculous,” she said, “It made me really mad, this is a festival about women artists and this is about empowering women…” she paused and cut herself off. “It’s also the hottest ticket of the summer, so if you want to make the money off of this hot ticket concert and festival then you have to embrace all of it. You can’t just pick and choose what you want to have and what you don’t want to have.”

Through some mumbling backstage, the venue eventually agreed to have the table join the others, but banned performers from talking about Planned Parenthood on stage. She again thought it was ridiculous that she was being censored in this way, “I don’t care what you want me to say or not.”

So, she and the band went over to the booth, got big Planned Parenthood t-shirts, wore them for their set, and Osborne ended the Joan Osborne's "Trouble and Strife" album cover.

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2. Dwight D. Eisenhower “I Like Ike” Campaign Button - circa 1952 This campaign button for Dwight D. Eisenhower, nicknamed “Ike”, was actually used to persuade Eisenhower to run for presidency, as he was a very well-liked general in the U.S. Army and the American public was getting tired of President Harry S. Truman’s time in office, as a TIME article states. This is a great example of how a simple, catchy slogan can rally people for a cause. The simple design of the red, white and blue stripes, along with the straightforward slogan perfectly matched with Eisenhower’s initial refusal to publicly share his political views while in the Army, as well as people’s discomfort with sharing their views.

They simply just liked Ike! The button convinced Eisenhower to run, and he beat out Adlai Stevenson in the

By Catherine Santangelo 1952 presidential election.

Editor in Chief 3. Jimmy Carter Campaign Poster - 1976 In case you haven’t heard, 2020 is a presidential election year! It’s not hard to miss, but Election Day is In this iconic campaign poster from Jimmy Carter’s run in 1976, where he beat out Gerald Ford for less than a month away, and we will soon find out which candidate will take their place in the Oval Office for the presidency, we see Carter depicted as Jesus Christ, playing off of their shared initials. Carter’s head is ilthe next four years. Will current President Donald Trump serve another term or will former Vice President luminated from behind by a heavenly light, and the “J.C. Can Save America!” slogan paints him as America’s Joe Biden take his place? savior, just as Jesus is the savior of Christians. Carter’s faith played a large role in his campaign, as well as his The time leading up to an actual election can sometimes be even more important than the time in office. As an article from America Magazine says, he “won the 1976 election as a Jesus-loving actual election day. Even though Election Day reveals the answer as to who wins the race, Democrat” and often “talked about his ‘personal relationship with God.’” It only makes sense there really would be no race without the campaigning period. Trump filed his camthat his political campaign poster related to his strong faith. paign for reelection in 2020 with the Federal Election Commission on the day 4. Barack Obama “Hope” Campaign Poster - 2008 of his inauguration, Jan. 20, 2017, and began his campaign only a few weeks Quite possibly the first campaign poster to ever go viral, this poster of later. Biden’s campaign for the 2020 Presidential Election began over two Barack Obama was created by street artist Shepard Fairey. This poster quickyears after Trump’s, on April 25, 2019, when he announced his candily became a popular image during the time of Obama’s campaign against John McCain in 2008. The art depicts Obama in the color scheme of dacy for president.

Political campaigns involve a wide variety of activities, includAmerica’s flag, with the word “hope” at the bottom. In an interview with ing giving speeches, canvassing and participating in debates with HuffPost, Fairey said about his poster that “it became very clear quickly that the demand for an image like that had not been supplied, and that other candidates, and the goal is to spread the candidate’s platform the Obama supporters were very hungry for it and also very motito the voting public and influence them to vote in his/her favor. vated to spread it.” Many Americans were not happy with the George One powerful, yet sometimes underappreciated, element of camW. Bush presidency and could not wait to have him out of office, so paigning is the wide variety of art that is created in the form of this poster helped provide hope for which the Obama supporters were buttons and posters.

Historically, art has always played a role in the campaigning looking. Obama won the presidential election over McCain in 2008. efforts of many presidential elections. As TIME reports, buttons and 5. Donald J. Trump Campaign Poster - 2016 pins have been a part of elections since America’s very first PresidenOur current president, Donald Trump, beat out Hillary Clintial Inauguration of George Washington. TIME also says that the first ton in the 2016 presidential election, and much of his campaign revolved pins to include an image of the president were during Abraham Lincoln’s around the slogan “Make America Great Again.” During this campaign, the presidential campaign prior to his election in 1861. However, 1896 was the slogan was printed on t-shirts, hats, posters, buttons, stickers and so many more first time that mass-produced and collectible buttons were around, for the William items. Trump supporters can still find these items today, as we are now in his second CreativeCommons/Flickr campaign run for reelection in 2020. To follow the theme of his 2016 campaign, Trump’s McKinley and William Jennings Bryan presidential race.

If we take a stroll through history, it’s not difficult to see some of the many pinnacle and new slogan for 2020 is “Keep America Great.” Much of Trump’s campaigning does not revolve powerful pieces of campaign art that have graced the eyes of the American democracy through the years. around artwork, as we see most of his posters are very simplistic and really only feature America’s colors, So, let’s take a look!

Trump’s name and his famous slogan. Much of his campaigning is focused on his speeches and the rallies 1. Abraham Lincoln Campaign Button - 1860 that he holds, more so than the artwork that is created.

This button, as mentioned before, was the first campaign button to include a photo of the presiAs we can see, presidential campaigning includes a wide variety of artistic approaches in order to dential candidate on it. It is of simple design, looking like a mini circle picture frame with Abraham Lincoln’s promote certain candidates, and much of this artwork not only shows the values of the candidates, but also name etched around the gold border. His black and white portrait fills the frame in the middle. It may not be shows the views of their supporters. Voters can stick these posters and signs in their lawns and wear their the most attractive piece of campaign art, but it certainly set the stage for many pieces to come! buttons with pride, knowing that they can use pieces of art to show support to whoever they believe should be the next leader of our country.

THE MIRROR | Week of October 14, 2020

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' O N T H E R O C K S ' I S E AS Y E N T E R TA I N M E N T

By Tyler Zikias Film Columnist

There is still not much to be found when it comes to new movies that are being released exclusively in theaters. But, when a movie that is due to release on a streaming service is shown in theaters early, I’ll definitely be first in line. “On The Rocks” is the latest from prolific writer/director, Sofia Coppola, that follows Bill Murray and Rashida Jones as a father-daughter duo, on a comedic romp through New York City.

Laura (Jones) is a struggling writer who begins to suspect her husband, Dean (Marlon Wayans), is having an affair. Enter her eccentric and estranged father, Felix (Murray), who launches a large-scale investigation that involves tailing Dean, tracking his credit card purchases and taking a trip to Mexico. Based on this loose description of events that unfold in the film, you can gather that “On The Rocks” is a ridiculous comedy, which also has a lot of charm, mainly from the magnetic performance from Bill Murray.

However, the movie does take some time to get going. It takes about a half an hour to be introduced to Felix, which in a film that’s only 96 minutes long, feels like an eternity. This first act drags because of its monotony. The main focus is placed on Laura, and while the monotony is designed to make the audience feel the rut that she is in, it doesn’t make it any more interesting to watch.

There isn’t much going on here, aside from building Laura’s character, but the point the film was trying to make about her could have been accomplished in about half the time. At around the 30 minute mark of the film, I was starting to feel skeptical about it and where it was going.

But then, like an angel from the heavens, Bill Murray enters and drags Laura, as well as the movie, out of the mud and into the easy, breezy and casual comedy that it is. Once Felix is established as a main character, I didn’t even really care about the reasons why the father and daughter were romping around New York, because I was too busy smiling ear-to-ear at how fun the movie had become.

Bill Murray is remarkable, so much so that if the Academy didn’t hate comedies, he would be a best actor candidate. He demands the attention of the viewer once he enters a scene. He’s a charming, witty and caring character, despite the many flaws that are revealed about him throughout the film. He’s a simple character with simple traits, but it is executed to perfection by Murray and Coppola.

The final hour of this short runtime is executed with brilliant pacing, smart set pieces and gags, and an actually heartwarming connection between Felix and Laura. The two have brilliant chemistry and, at times, it felt as if they were a real father and daughter. Their conversations escalate from cold and distant to deep and emotional as they start to unravel more about each other.

Their own insecurities serve as the catalyst for their journey, but it brings them to a place of mutual understanding, after a well explored history between the two. It’s heartwarming and hilarious. What more can you ask for?

Would I be telling you to rush out to see “On The Rocks” if the world was normal? No, I wouldn’t. Then again, I won’t even tell you to rush out to see it now because it will be on Apple TV+ on Oct. 23. If you have Apple TV+, “On The Rocks” should be a no brainer on your watch list. It’s sweet, hilarious and exactly what I needed right now, with so much uncertainty looming over the semester. Grab a few friends, some snacks and enjoy an easy, on-the-mind experience that is guaranteed to make you smile.

By Brooke Lathe Contributing Writer Lots of items go in and out of style quickly due to the fast-moving fashion industry. However, every so often old trends seem to come flying right back onto store shelves. I can only hope that sometime soon these 10 forgotten stylish fads will be reintroduced and made trendy once again!

Leather Jackets - Yes, please! Ever since I was a little girl, I religiously watched the movie “Grease.”

If you have seen this musical, you would know that the ‘T-Birds’ made this accessory look like a total musthave for all guys. With the temperature starting to drop, make sure to keep this type of jacket in the back of your mind.

Colorful Windbreakers - I love all things eye-catching, which is unquestionably what 80’s windbreakers are. Bright neon colors on a cozy jacket...what could be more trendy than this? These would look so cute paired with leggings, or mom jeans and chunky white sneakers.

High Rise Bell Bottoms/Flare Jeans - I can not express enough how extremely flattering these pants are on the majority of body types. These jeans really accentuate someone's curves and figure. Unlike skinny jeans, where the pant ends at your ankle, the wide leg bottom of the flare gives you a more lengthy look as well. Added height and an hourglass figure sounds like a win-win to me.

Go Go Boots - Even if these don’t become widely popular again, I know that I will still be purchasing my own white pair. These can never go out of style. You can wear Go Go boots with a dress, flare jeans or boho pants. They can pretty much go with anything when styled right.

Saddle Shoes - Okay, hear me out. Some people may think these resemble bowling shoes, but I love them. The most popular style, with the black and white colors, can be worn with so many trendy outfits.

Dresses, skirts and pants can all be finished off well with a pair of these flats.

Head Scarfs - Most teenage girls have recently invested in colorful and silky bandanas this past year, and I am one of them. The most common way of styling them has consisted of the ‘boho’ method: two strands of front hair pieces pulled out for framing and the rest in the back wrapped within the scarf. I absolutely love this. However, there are two other seriously fashionable ways to wear this piece of cloth. One way is to wear it over the top of the head with a knot below the chin (60’s style) or over the top of the head with a knot on the side of the forehead (70’s style). Right now, it may look overwhelming with half of our faces already covered with masks. However, once the pandemic is over, I will be sure to flaunt these styles and so should you!

Shoulder Pads - I already own a couple of shirts with shoulder pads, but I know that it isn’t considered widely ‘popular’ in today's fashion world, like it was in the 80’s. However, I feel like this extra cloth adds a sense of power and ‘pizazz’ to your look. Any blazer or top with this additional design is super stylish.

Men's 50’s Haircut - I’m not saying that the current trendy haircut for men right now isn’t good. The current side fade with a longer section on top is pretty similar to this 50’s style. Yet, the sides then weren’t as short and the top usually curls right above the forehead. This cut would look clean, professional and attractive on any man.

Farrah Fawcett Hair - This 70’s look is so hot! Right now I see a lot of girls on Tik Tok asking their hairdresser for curtain bangs. That is actually really similar to this style. The layering, volume and definition is so attractive. I think this cut frames the face well and adds some flair to a woman’s look.

60’s Shades - I already have a huge collection of funky sunglasses stored in the center console of my car. I love shades with all different shapes

and colors. In the 60’s, popular glasses consisted of super round, colorful and thick lenses. These are so stylish and should totally be popular in the warmer months to add to your summer look.

Throughout the decades, people have experienced so many fashion trends in clothing, shoes and accessories, like the styles above. While everyone has a different taste in styles, it’s safe to say that these 10 trends of the past should definitely NOT be in anyone's closet ever again.

Patterned leggings - In middle school, galaxy, flower and animal print leggings were so popular. Now, I view them as loud, obnoxious and not the most matchable item. I love leggings, but my recommendation is to stick to solid colors.

Jean skirts over jeans - Thankfully, I can say that I have never participated in this style. In addition to it already looking extremely uncomfortable, it’s also a very weird way of pairing clothing together. Whoever thought of this combo undoubtedly has some explaining to do.

Shorts over leggings - This one isn’t too bad, but I just find myself asking, why? Wear shorts, wear leggings or wear pants. To me, it looks like you couldn’t decide what to wear that day, so you picked both.

Filas - I am fully aware that these sneakers were extremely popular right before quarantine. They were everywhere and then nowhere over the span of a month. Personally, I only wear white shoes, but these babies are a no from me. If you were the person to impulsively buy them when they were ‘in,’ keep them hidden in the back of your closet.

Plastic Jelly flats - I remember in elementary school every girl had a sparkly pair of jelly flats. Why? I’m not really sure, considering they were not only very uncomfortable, but also literally had holes everywhere along the shoe. Whenever I took off my own pair I would have an outline of dirt on my feet. This is extremely gross and definitely unsanitary.

Rat Tails - Looking through pictures from the 80’s, when this style was ‘trendy,’ I find myself cackling.

The name of this haircut is very fitting. Anyone who has this style resembles a rodent, period. You do not want this. I love Remy from “Ratatouille,” but any hairdresser who lets you walk out of their shop looking like him should not be a hairdresser in the first place.

Mullets on Guys - This cut on a female can totally be fashionable if styled correctly; it actually seems to be coming back after Miley Cyrus changed her hair to the shag look. However, boys, please don’t join this trend. It looks greasy, gross and I will automatically refer to you as ‘Joe Dirt.’ And no, that is not a compliment.

Camouflage - If you were wearing camo in the 80’s or 90’s, it was a big indicator that you ‘listened to pop music.’ In 2020, I feel like this pattern should strictly be reserved for our military branches or hunters. I find any type of clothing with this design really unflattering on anyone.

Shutter Sunglasses - I have no idea how these are even called sunglasses. In no way, shape or form do these protect your eyes from the sun. The lens area is replaced with plastic strips over the eyes, which also makes them hard for people to see out of. These can be fun to use for party photo booth pictures, but should stay in that category alone.

Anything Mustache - Does anyone remember in 2012 when everyone was obsessed with mustaches? On most shirts, socks, jewelry, bags or sunglasses there would just be the staple image of that black mustache. I can’t explain to anyone why this was a phase we went through, and honestly, it’s a cursed memory I have. I beg any fashion creators or clothing stores to please, never make this a thing again, and if you still own any of these pieces, burn Pexels them.

Art

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THE MIRROR | Week of October 14, 2020

The Vine

A Moment with a Masterpiece: 'Portrait of the Post man Joseph Roulin'

By Tyler Heffern Art Barn Columnist In 1888, Vincent van Gogh moved to Arles in the south of France with his artistic rival, Paul Gauguin. Despite being one of the most famous artists in our collective consciousness, and a pioneer of the Post-Impressionist movement, Van Gogh did not see the same popularity during his lifetime. He painted many landscapes, cafe scenes and self-portraits, nearly 900 paintings in all, yet throughout that life, he only sold one...to his brother.

In Arles, Van Gogh’s relationship with Gauguin worsened. He became erratic and at one point, in a fit of rage, threatened him with a knife. Instead of hurting Gauguin, he turned the knife on himself and cut off his earlobe. Van Gogh later gave that chunk of the ear to a prostitute as a gift, one I don't believe she was too happy to receive. After this episode, his ‘madness’ became clear. He was in and out of hospitals for months, and eventually, in May of 1889, checked into a mental asylum in Saint-Rémy. During his stay, and in between incidents of psychosis, he painted his famous “Starry Night,” one of the most celebrated and important artworks in the history of humankind. He left the asylum only a year after arriving, and within a month, at age 37, he shot himself in a wheat field, dying in another hospital 30 hours later.

Much of this is quite well known. What is forgotten, however, is the man who brought Van Gogh to the hospital after his self-mutilation in Arles, who stayed by his side and ultimately encouraged him to go to Saint-Rémy–his good friend, the postman Joseph Roulin.

In this painting from 1888, which now resides in the Detroit Institute of Arts, their close friendship is on display. In “Portrait of the Postman Joseph Roulin,” Van Gogh paints Roulin with such warmth and brightness. Besides his postman’s uniform, he exudes the air of a trusted authority figure. He has a kindness about him that is harder to describe, yet easier to feel. The teal background brings out a welcoming light in him. His eyes stare into the viewer’s, almost as if he is listening to what they have to say. Even his beard, the most eccentric part of this painting, is goofy and lighthearted–partly because Van Gogh’s most visible brush strokes appear there.

Van Gogh trusted Roulin and held him in high regard. Multiple portraits of him exist, and each is characterized by a similar brightness and brotherly love. Van Gogh made sure to paint Roulin into history just as he saw him, so that we may see him in the same light.

With all the information I have just given you, and from your preconceived biases, it is easy to say that Van Gogh was just a mad painter. He is remembered all too well for cutting off his ear, but his life was much more than that one night. He had deep relationships, a knack for writing and an insatiable desire to paint. He loved nature, drawing and his brother Theo.

As this week is Mental Health Awareness Week, I think it’s important to think about Van Gogh’s story in a two-fold manner. On one hand, he was one of the most prolific painters in Western art, with several recognizable masterpieces. On the other, he is probably best known for being a ‘crazy’ man with one ear. Within that are two lessons, one we must remember for ourselves, and another we must work on as a culture.

First, of course, it is possible for people struggling with depression and mental illness to be successful, to be universally acclaimed and esteemed–even if it does take time. Second,

we all must do better to decrease the stigma attached to mental illness, and to do our part to support those who suffer from it.

To those who feel like they need to talk to someone, never be ashamed to ask for help.

Never think you are alone. Never succumb to the emotions that overwhelm you. If Van Gogh was able to find the light amongst his seemingly never-ending darkness–and share that light with us, then you are certainly able to do it too.

CreativeCommons/WikipediaCommons

"Portrait of Postman Roulin" by Vincent Van Gogh (1888), oil on canvas

FORGE'S FANTASIES DOT ACROSS BELLARMINE HALL

By Olivia Burke Contributing Writer

At last, I chose a subject for my drawing: a painting consisting of mainly pale yellow and blue dots, which when inspected more thoroughly appeared to have intersecting lines scattered across the canvas, and also sparsely placed dark green dots that resembled constellations one might see in the night sky. I sat down with my sketchpad, pencil in hand, copying the lines and clusters of green specks as closely as I could into my sketchbook, planning to add color to them later when I was no longer at risk of accidentally vandalizing the museum’s artwork.

Art pieces like the ones shown in this exhibit, which are abstract and do not depict real-life objects, are often dismissed as not being real art, or being something that a child could create. To many, an art piece not based in realism is seen as pointless or not requiring skill. On the contrary, abstract art often has a lot of thought put into it and can be seen as an exploration of things such as shape, line, form or color. Not being able to use color in the beginning stages of my painting turned out to be to my benefit, as it forced me to analyze the paintings more deeply and truly appreciate the shapes and figures that were not obvious at first glance. This allowed me to really acknowledge the planning, hard work and strategy that went into Forge’s paintings.

This week I had the pleasure of attending the exhibit “Andrew Forge: The Limits of Sight,” held in the Fairfield University Art Museum. Andrew Forge was a British artist and professor at Yale University, who, from 1975 to 1994, served as the dean of the Yale University School of Art. I attended the exhibit with my figure drawing class, taught by Suzanne Chamlin-Richer of the studio art department, who was taught by Forge in graduate school. The museum’s executive director, Carey Weber said that “this is the first museum exhibition of Forge’s work in Fairfield County and only the second since his death in 2002. We are honored to present these sublime works.”

My class visited with the intention to not just look, but to draw as well. We were instructed to choose one of the paintings and then recreate it in our sketchbooks with a pencil. We were also given the option to either keep our recreations as pencil drawings or to add watercolor or gouache paint to them, and mirror Forge’s exhibit.

At first glance, this task seemed daunting. The pieces are paintings made up of large amounts of multicolored dots, some of which include other figures, such as lines and rectangles. We were not allowed to bring paint into the museum, so as not to accidentally ruin a painting, so we were told to sit down in front of a painting of our choosing with a sketchbook and pencil, and draw until our time in the exhibit was over. How was I supposed to recreate a thousand colorful dots in a pencil sketch? By drawing a thousand tiny circles with my pencil, or maybe tapping my pencil on the paper a thousand times? Surely, these methods could not capture the image of thousands of randomly-placed colorful spots.

I strolled through the exhibit, trying to pick out a painting that I had the capability of capturing on my sketchpad. Each piece seemed more difficult than the last. Finally, upon closer inspection, I realized that the dots were not random at all, but instead created patterns and shapes that were even more apparent if one stood further away from the painting. One painting first appeared to be layers and layers of mostly green and blue dots, but was then revealed to contain a large triangle in the center, along with some other angular lines. Another piece seemed to be a myriad of blue and orange dots, but once looked at with a more focused observation, it revealed a figure that looked almost like a doorway or window into another world. I found that the longer I stared at a painting, the more figures seemed to appear, as if I were staring at a magic-eye puzzle. It was at this moment that I realized I would not have to spend the rest of the class period drawing countless tiny circles on a piece of paper in my sketchbook, and could instead Photo of the Andrew Forge Exhibit at Bellarmine Hall draw the less-obvious shapes hidden in the paintings.

Photo Contributed by Fairfield University Art Museum

THE MIRROR | Week of October 14, 2020

The Vine

Page 11

' T w i s t e d FA N TA S Y ' T U R N S T E N

By John Bizub Contributing Writer

It all happened on Nov. 22, 2010. Kanye West had dropped his fifth studio album, titled “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” and took the world by storm! The album garnered praise, and many regarded it as “a new change in the rap game.”

Now it’s October 2020, and the album is still loved and remembered by Kanye’s fans. To celebrate the anniversary of his album’s launch, let’s stroll down memory lane to look back and see if it still holds up.

This album acts as a turning point in Kanye’s discography, where instead of sticking to classic hip-hop, he used better production and collaborated with larger and more mainstream artists, such as Kid Cudi, Pusha T and Bon Iver, among others. Kanye experiments with different beats and his lyrics become more personal. This can be seen in “POWER,” when he discusses the stardom he has been accustomed to and how he has been growing this “God” complex.

Each track on this record feels in the vein of one another, with each track feeling like the previous track. The reason this is a turning point in Kanye’s discography is that each album that came after allows his fans to understand him as a person. This is seen through “All of the Lights” and “Runaway,” which beautifully displays Kanye trapped in this bubble of fame, and all he wants to do is run away from it all.

This album is a masterpiece, and while it is not my favorite from West (personally I am a “Yeezus” fan), I will say that this is a classic in the making. Each beat he threw out on this project hit hard. He created memorable lyrics that fans still recite 10 years later.

I think the best song on the album is “Runaway,” where Kanye comes full circle with who he is as an artist and then some. That song is paired with one of the best music videos ever created.

However, my favorite song of this album is “Devil in the New Dress” because it feels like everything Kanye has done, including his previous projects, and will do in future projects, were all placed into one song. “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” feels like all of the strengths from Kanye’s previous works all mashed up into one singular album, and I don’t think his fans would've wanted it any other way.

“My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” holds up like gangbusters 10 years later! It is an album that showed an artist at the top of his game and showed what he can bring to the new decade. It is rap albums like these that are considered benchmarks for the genre, and there will never be a time when I am not jamming out to this masterpiece.

10/10

Album artwork for "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" by Kayne West

A Case Against Columbus Day

By Molly Lamendola Vine Editor On a normal twelfth day of October, I’d stay in bed all day, only to emerge for coffee, flicking through the paper and then crawling back into bed. It is a full Monday off just to celebrate Christopher Columbus, a man known for “discovering the new world” and a cute little rhyme sung by children all across the nation. Yet, there’s always been discourse on whether we should continue to celebrate this day, and continue to call it Columbus Day. Why is this, you might ask? How could the man who discovered America and brought fame to the Italian-American immigrants oppressed in the early part of the 20th century be bad? How could he not be someone worth celebrating?

Well… first of all… he was totally not the first person to discover America. How could you discover something that was always there in the first place? Historians actually believe it to be a Viking named Leif Eriksson, who popped over and discovered this new land, oh, just half a millennium sooner than Columbus. The Vikings didn’t stay long, as there was always a bit of conflict between them and the Native Americans, and Eriksson’s own brother was killed during one conflict. But, still, he beat out our man Christopher!

There’s also the whole issue with Columbus’ treatment of the Native Americans. Treatment in this case refers to the way that he saw them as nothing more than an obstacle, or a disposable workforce that could do his bidding in the gold mines or make him money when he brought them back home to sell. Those who refused to work were threatened with torture, loss of a limbs or even death. This treatment, coupled with the diseases Colombus and his men brought with them, eventually surmassed a genocide so large that 90 percent of the original population was gone.

So, how’d we get here?

How did we begin to celebrate this man?

As always, there’s a lot of misinformation about Columbus. The story of his atrocities didn’t become widespread until, I feel, incredibly recently. You know that whole idea about how most people during this time believed the earth was flat, until Columbus sailed around and proved them wrong? Yes? Well, it’s not true.

In 1828, Washington Irving published “A History of Photo taken from Columbus Day Parade in 2009 in New York City the Life and Voyages of Chris-

topher Columbus.” This book tells the story of the adventurous man, fair to the natives and a discoverer of the round earth. None of this was true, but it did introduce a country to this figure, a revolutionary in his own right, a hero.

Even if this wasn’t true, he became a hero for the Italian-American immigrants. They were subjected to horrific xenophobic sentiment, which often led to actual violence. 11 Sicilian men were lynched in 1891, even though they were found not guilty of the crime before their death.

Just a year after this incident, President Benjamin Harrison proclaimed a remembrance of Columbus’ journey to America, filled with a lot of that wrongful patriotism that came from Irving’s incorrect biography.

“Columbus stood in his age as the pioneer of progress and enlightenment,” Harrison said.

“Let the national flag float over every schoolhouse in the country and the exercises be such as shall impress upon our youth the patriotic duties of American citizenship,” he continued.

It took another few decades before it was named a national holiday. In 1934, under the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt, Columbus Day was official. So, I got a day off from school, an extra few hours for some coffee, and an over-glamorization of a man who caused hundreds of thousands of deaths.

So, where do we go from here? An alternative that many cities have taken on is Indigenous Americans Day. In 2015 a unanimous decision by the Bridgeport, CT school board renamed Columbus Day, “Indigenous Peoples’ Day.” The board member that suggested it, Kate Rivera, was quoted in a news article saying that “students should be taught true history, not the falsehood that Columbus was a hero.”

Ignore the people that say this is ridiculous and that, “by renaming the holiday Indigenous People’s Day, they have decided to emphasize the sorrier aspects of Western colonization and conquest of the Americas rather than its virtues,” as written by Washington Post columnist Henry Olsen.

If Italian-Americans want a holiday to truly celebrate their heritage and ancestors, make a holiday to celebrate all the lives lost to hatred and disclusion from the 20th century.

Celebrate Frank Sinatra, Joe DiMaggio and Mario Puzo. Even better, in honor of the election and in support of Senator Kamala Harris, celebrate Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman on a Vice Presidential ticket. Don’t celebrate a man who glorified and CreativeCommons/WikipediaCommons supported the inhumane treatment of hundreds of thousands of indigenous people who were murdered, displaced and ignored for centuries.

THE MIRROR | Week of October 14, 2020

Coffee Break

Page 12

COFFEE BREAK Editor: Tristan Cruz tristan.cruz@student.fairfield.edu

Confused Students Stand in Looping Pathway for Two Hours

By Nathan Schmidt Today, in a freak accident of public safety design, over one hundred students unwittingly spent two hours standing in a marked pathway that looped back on itself. The pathway, marked with cordons and blue arrows like the others on campus, went on a complete clockwise circuit around the outside of the Barone Campus Center and Bannow. Originally intended simply to regulate traffic, the loop caused a foot traffic jam when students assumed that it went somewhere.

The first students who got in line were able to make it almost all the way around the circuit. However, as others got in line, the pace slowed as students tried to maintain social distancing. Eventually, the entire loop was filled with a completely backed-up line of students all standing six feet apart from their adjacent peers.

“I just saw everyone going down the path and I thought, ‘Well, I want some of what they’re having,’” said Zachariah Malthus ‘23, who started at the north entrance of BCC and made it as far as the fence between Barone and Bannow. “Then we all kind of stopped, and I thought — well, this isn’t right. So I took out my phone while I waited, and then before I knew it, I’d missed my biology class, my girlfriend was asking who I was with, and I’d forgotten how to get back to my dorm.”

Other students reported feeling similarly disoriented after the fact. The consensus by administrators is that after the students got in line, everyone was so happy to not be doing anything that they forgot to question why they were standing completely motionless.

Eventually, the traffic jam was broken up when a campus landscape worker on a ride-on lawnmower drove straight through the line, shocking the students nearby into dispersing. The remaining students left the line due to an unrelated incident involving reports of free giveaways at the food trucks.

When asked why the loop of arrows had been made in the first place, Dean Louiston said, “I did it for the vine,” before putting on a pair of sunglasses, dabbing in both directions, and saying, “Deal with it.”

Further reports pending on future traffic disasters.

Stagnation is a satirical newspaper on campus that contributes stories to Coffee Break, so be sure to check them out!

Candy Bar Word Search The Coffee Break Team has put together a word search with classic candy bars! Don’t get too hungry while searching!

- K i tK at

- Ta k e F i v e

- Ba byR u t h

- Wh atch am ac a l li t

- He rsh e y

- Wo n k a B a r

- Almo ndJoy

- To b l e r o n e

- M i l k y Wa y

- Ne s t leMi l k

- Crunch

- Tw i x

- PayDay

- Mo u nds

- R e e s e ʻs

- Bu t terf inger

- Sn ick e rs

- Thre eMus k e te e rs

Discovery Education / Puzzlemaker

SPORTS Sports

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THE MIRROR | Week of October 14, 2020

Sports Editor: Julia Lanzillotta julia.lanzillotta@student.fairfield.edu

This week, in Mirror history...

These excerpts were taken from The Mirror's archives to reflect upon our student-run newspaper's rich history. These stories were published in the News section of Volume 44, Issue 7 on October 17, 2018. The first piece was written by Claire Monahan '20 who served on The Mirror first as the News Editor, and then moved her way up to Executive Editor. The second article was written by Emma Unterkoefler '19, who played for the Fairfield University women's soccer team in addition to contributing to The Mirror. This issue was published under Editor-in-Chief Alicia Phaneuf, Executive Editor Cara Lee and Managing Editor Deanna Carbone.

By Claire Monahan Executive Editor Emeritus The invention of the electronic cigarette was originally seen as a helpful tool to help long term smokers avoid the more harmful components of cigarette smoke. However, ecigarettes are being increasingly used by children as young as middle school with products like Juuls, a small USB shaped device.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that, of current e-cig users ages 18-24, 40 percent had not previously smoked cigarettes.

While it is recognized that using e-cigs, or vaping, is less harmful than smoking cigarettes, it is still not safe. In the liquid of e-cigs, sometimes called vape juice, there could be volatile organic compounds, ultrafine particles or carcinogens.

Most vape juice contains nicotine, which is detrimental to a young adult’s developing brain.

Nicotine can damage sections of the brain that modulate impulse control, learning and attention. Juul pods specifically have the same amount of nicotine as a pack of 20 cigarettes.

On Sept. 28, the Food and Drug Administration carried out a surprise inspection of Juul headquarters. After the unexpected visit, the FDA left with over a thousand documents associated with Juul’s sales and marketing operations.

This was seen as another example of the FDA’s crackdown on vape manufacturers after it declared that levels of teenage vaping have grown to, “an epidemic proportion.”

Some lawmakers have even proposed banning e-cigs. On Oct. 10, the chief executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, announced in a speech that her government was drafting legislation to ban the shipment, production, purchase, distribution and marketing of vapes in the interest of public health.

Because of the relative novelty of vaping among young adults, there has not been research into the long term health implications of e-cig usage.

On Oct. 2, students received an email prompting them to fill out a survey that would contribute to vaping research.

Assistant professor of Nursing Susan Bartos, Ph.D., is conducting a study about vaping experiences and perceptions among college students.

The aims of the study are to understand the prevalence of vaping at Fairfield, the setting in which students vape and the general awareness of and feelings toward vaping.

The survey disseminated to Fairfield students has already been taken by students at Sacred Heart University. According to Bartos, the data provided by the survey would be incredibly valuable to researchers as vaping becomes more widespread.

“As Fairfield University continues to move in the direction of a 100 percent tobaccofree environment, understanding vaping behaviors will allow for better educational and support interventions for those in need,” Bartos wrote in an email to The Mirror.

Students interested in completing the survey should do so before data collection closes on Oct. 19.

Photo Taken From The Mirror Archives

By Emma Unterkoefler Contributing Writer, Sports On the chilly Saturday night of Oct. 13, the Fairfield University Women’s Soccer Team entered Lessing Field to honor the senior class and defend their home pitch against top seeded Monmouth University in front of 416 fans. The Stags were playing for their second conference win, whereas Monmouth was playing for their seventh.

The first half featured a lot of scoring opportunities for each side. Monmouth found the back of the net first during minute 16. Monmouth’s Lexie Palladino scored her first goal of the season from the top of the box behind a shot that bounced passed Fairfield goalkeeper, Aytana Muschajew ‘22. This goal provided Monmouth with the momentum to keep shooting as they registered four shots and one corner kick in the next eight minutes. However, Fairfield defense stayed strong and resilient to thwart off these attempts.

In minute 39, Monmouth scored their second goal of the game. Jesi Rossman converted a corner kick into a header that snuck past Muschajew into the bottom right of the net. This goal ignited a spark for the Stags. Twenty seconds later, Maggie Walsh ‘19 assisted Alex Madden ‘21 who got Fairfield on the scoreboard 2-1.

The Stags were back in the match, although the one goal difference did not last long as Monmouth scored a third goal in minute 43 when Jill Conklin ‘22 scored a header goal off of a

-

corner kick.

The first half ended with six Fairfield shots compared to Monmouth’s 18.

Monmouth came out energized and Fairfield looked flat in the second half as the late third goal in the first half slowed Fairfield’s hopes of securing a win or tie. Monmouth attempted nine shots compared to Fairfield’s one. Monmouth added a fourth goal in minute 58 to secure the win. The final score read 4-1, Monmouth.

Fairfield now falls to 6-7-2 overall and 1-4-2 in the MAAC as Monmouth climbs to 12-3-1 and 7-1-0. As the 10th seed in the MAAC, Fairfield has a tough challenge ahead as they need to close the season with wins over the next three MAAC opponents. The Stags will continue their pursuit of a MAAC postseason berth.

On the game as a whole, senior captain Jenny Jacobs ‘19, shared her thoughts: “Losing 4-1 is never fun, however we were able to take away a few positives from the game. We were able to honor the eight seniors who have dedicated blood, sweat and tears to the program for the last four years and we were given the opportunity to really refine our defending tactics.

Monmouth is a great team, but now we are on to the next in hopes of making the MAAC playoffs”.

The Stags play Saint Peter’s University on Wednesday, Oct. 17 in a midweek matchup on Lessing Field at 7 p.m.. Once again, in search of a second conference win.

In this week's issue...

100% Voter Registration for Fairfield Student-Athletes (Page 14) Priority Course Selection for Athletes is Crucial (Page 15) NFL Players Need to Take COVID Seriously (Page 15) Stag Spotlight: Seamus O'Brien (Page 16)

Sports

Page 14

THE MIRROR | Week of October 14, 2020

100% Voter Registration for Fairfield Student-Athletes “For us, we had a lot of student-athletes asking how they can get involved in civic engagement, and the best process to do that is to vote,” said Dayton.

By Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor, Executive Editor

Fairfield University student-athletes have hit a remarkable milestone, reaching 100 percent voter registration for all of those eligible to vote, less than a month ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3.

Spearheaded by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the STAGS LEAD Voter Education Program was established this past June to encourage student-athletes to exercise their civic responsibility of voting.

The initiative has since been endorsed by all 20 varsity groups, and is meant to “encourage student-athletes to get involved and make informed decisions in politics and government at the national, state and local levels,” per the official release from Fairfield’s athletics website.

"I am very proud that our coaches and student-athletes are willing to take a collaborative leadership role at this critical time and in anticipation of Election Day,” said Paul Schlickmann, director of athletics at Fairfield University. “I am confident that the enthusiasm and passion of our student-athletes will set an example for all members of our community to exercise their right to vote and have their voices heard."

Not only will the STAGS LEAD Voter Education program walk studentathletes who are eligible to vote through the registration process, but it also will serve to educate these participants on political candidates of every level.

Zach Dayton, Fairfield’s deputy director of athletics stated that the Department of Athletics has partnered with the University to use voter registration and education resources, which are available to the entire campus community, to contribute to this program.

“This was a huge collaborative effort. The Student Athletic Advisory Committees across the MAAC [Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference] were heavily involved in a voting initiative that was similar,” said Dayton, emphasizing the importance of teamwork in this mission. “We at the forefront saw the need for the STAGS LEAD program, and the SAAC groups across the 11 MAAC schools also had the same intent.”

Fairfield’s SAAC group is led by Alison Sexton, who is the senior associate director of athletics and internal affairs and senior woman administrator. Additionally, Anne Murray and Kara McHugh, who are the assistant head coach and assistant coach respectively of the women’s lacrosse program aided in achieving this remarkable goal.

Dayton feels that, in general, it is vital for administrators to focus on the development of the whole person when guiding students through their journey at Fairfield, on all fronts, whether that be in the classroom or on the athletic field.

Although this push comes amidst a tense political climate, Dayton assures that regardless of the timing, “the ability and the education to vote is imperative every year.”

He implored that this is not a plan which will be forgotten after the 2020 presidential election; from here on out it will take place every year, regardless of which public officials are up for election.

Weekly 4x5 Because we have witty things to say ...

Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor

Catherine Santangelo Editor-in-Chief

Your 2020-2021 4x5 Columnists:

Julia Lanzillotta, Catherine Santangelo, Sheila McCombs and Molly Lamendola

How did the Vice Presidential What’s your take on the NBA Debate compare to the Presi- Finals? dential Debate?

What’s your scary movie recommendation for this spooky season?

Do you think Fairfield sports will ever steadily continue through this year?

Do you believe that it is safe to continue in-person instruction at this time?

It was A LOT more civilized, but just as disappointing.

I am a sucker for “The Conjuring” movies… it doesn’t take much to scare me!

I like to stay optimistic, but I really have no clue how this will play out.

For majors like engineering, biology and nursing, sure; however, I don’t see why my public relations class has to be in-person right now.

“A Quiet Place”!!! John Krasinski and Emily Blunt…like, come on, it’s perfection and they are perfection.

The odds are not looking too good. But hey, it is still 2020 and plenty of crazy, unexpected things have happened this year, so who knows.

I haven't felt unsafe in any of my in-person classes so far this semester, but it wouldn't be a very dramatic change for me if in-person classes had to be called off.

I hate scary movies, but the closest I get is “The One That Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest”!

I think this stopping and then reopening cycle is how all sports are going to go for a while.

I truly have no idea. I want to believe it is safe, but with how things are going I am getting progressively more nervous.

“Food Inc.”

Nope!

I think it’d be fine if we had the space to actually social distance.

Go Lakers, I guess. Any team with Lebron is going to succeed so I’m not shocked by the outcome.

I’m just ready for this election Ummmm...I do not follow to be over. basketball :(

I think the fact that it was kind Sheila McCombs of boring was a good thing!

Managing Editor There was a lot less yelling, which was a big plus for me.

Molly Lamendola Vine Editor

Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk Creative Commons/ Flickr

I was really rooting for the Heat, because I love Tyler Herro and an underdog story, but as always, Lebron prevails.

Mr. Vice President, I'm speak- No connect credit, no sports. ing.

Sports

THE MIRROR | Week of October 14, 2020

Page 15

Priority Course Selection for Athletes is Crucial

By Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor, Executive Editor All Fairfield University students can agree that one of the most stressful times of the year is course registration. Twice a year, students scramble last minute to reach their academic advisors, obtain pin numbers, set early alarms and panic when the registration site inevitably crashes or shuts down just as classes open. It is not uncommon, especially for underclassmen, to get through these obstacles only to find that many of their desired courses are already at capacity.

Such stress and anguish is commonplace for the typical student, and all of this aggravation would seemingly go away if they could register even just an hour earlier than the general population, like the athletes. Early registration is a luxury afforded to all student-athletes here at Fairfield, but is it needed?

Paul Schlickmann, director of athletics, offered input as to why he believes it is an imperative step to be taken by the Department of Athletics.

“Fairfield University student-athletes receive priority scheduling to help mitigate frequent conflicts that occur when coordinating athletic contests and training schedules commensurate with being an NCAA Division I student-athlete,” said the athletic director. Conflicts occur because, “routine travel constraints, facility availability and NCAA requirements all impact student-athlete schedules each semester.”

There is no doubt that these student-athletes must jump through hoops each semester to ensure that they are fulfilling both academic and athletic expectations. Most Division I teams require their athletes to practice up to six days a week. The challenges that would accompany leaving them at the mercy of luck come registration day would pose even greater issues, particularly with the rigorous core classes that are expected to be completed by all students at this Jesuit University. Many core courses fill up rather quickly by students who look to get their obligations over with, and athletes have an even smaller selection to choose from while considering which of these classes fall outside of their designated practice time.

“Priority scheduling allows our student-athletes to fulfill their core and major-specific academic commitments in an efficient and effective manner. Given the inherent challenges associated with being a Fairfield student-athlete, priority scheduling is a necessary component to position our student-athletes to succeed and thrive academically, while balancing the demands of practice, competitions, travel and community service initiatives,” said Schlickmann.

Captain of the Fairfield University women’s basketball team, and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee executive board member, Rachel Hakes ‘21 echoes these sentiments.

She stated, “As a student-athlete, I am expected to perform in the classroom and on the court. To be successful in both of these endeavors, I must be present for class and practice.

Priority scheduling gives me the opportunity to handle my travel commitments, practice schedules and community service obligations, while also excelling as an active participant in my academic life.”

Even with advanced scheduling, athletes like Mia Melao ‘22 of the Fairfield University women’s cross country team struggle to juggle their commitments.

“It’s super hard to make our schedPhoto Courtesy of my.fairfield.edu ules work around practice, traveling for meets and lift times, even with priority scheduling,” Melao added.

It’s false to label the so-called ‘perks’ associated with athletics, like early registration, as an unfair advantage. It is a fundamental necessity in creating a harmonious relationship between school and athletic commitments. The general consensus among many students is that however frustrating this privilege may be, it is a crucial procedure to take when coordinating the athletic and academic schedules of students.

On Oct. 9, vice president of student affairs, Karen Donoghue, released a statement to all campus community members in which she announced the pause of all NCAA sports for the next 14 days. For weeks now, practice schedules have been inconsistent for Division I teams across the board, with random hiatuses due to COVID-19 precautions. This raises questions pertaining to early-registration for next year. Since the pandemic has shown no significant signs of slowing down anytime soon, will early registration really be necessary?

“I understand the importance of it, especially when athletes have to commit to practices, as well as their classes; however, in today’s circumstances with COVID-19 practice suspensions, their priority treatment seems moot,” explained Allison Krekoska ‘22.

What decisions will be made in the future is as uncertain as everything else at the moment, but as of right now, this practice serves a significant purpose and is here to stay to ensure the wellbeing of athletes in their pursuit of excellence both in the classroom and on the competition floor.

NFL Players Need to Take COVID Seriously

By Thomas Coppola Staff Writer

the Pats-Chiefs game was made up, potentially exposing numerous others to the virus without even knowing it.

The NFL has a very formal and extensive set of rules that they put in place so that they can adapt and quickly overcome unforeseen events, such as an outbreak. In order for a player to return to play after a positive test, they must receive two straight negative tests and increased symptom monitoring. If such an unforeseen event happens to occur, the league is prepared to postpone, reschedule and work around the schedule so no team has an unfair advantage over the other in terms of games played.

They also mention a very detailed player fine protocol that states that a player can be fined a determined sum of money “if they are found to have engaged in reckless behavior away from the team facility.” This can consist of going to bars, nightclubs, indoor entertainment events or any event that breaks state and local restrictions. Should a player refuse a COVID-19 test, they will be fined $5,000, and if they get caught without a mask multiple times, they can get slammed with a fine of over $14,000. If the NFL finds Cam Newton guilty of breaking any of these rules, he may have a very large fine coming his way due to the inconvenience of changing around the league schedule to accommodate for a rise in positive cases.

There are only a few teams hosting fans back into their stadiums for this season, and they are the Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, sonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs and Miami phins. The Jaguars are holding the most fans in stadium, up to 25 percent capacity, whereas the are only hosting at a capacity of 3.5 percent.

Some players in the NFL have been complying with the rules that have been put in place so that they can avoid the spread of the virus and allow everyone to play football safely. Others, though, may be relaxing a little too much, which is having a negative effect on the league and its play as a whole. If these players want the rest of the season to play out swiftly and smoothly, the league should tighten up on the restrictions and players should make sure they are being diligent maskwearers.

Fans, Fantasy Football managers and the rest of the nation are counting on the NFL to deliver the best possible viewing experience, especially with the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association coming to their respective closes until next season. Although the COVID-19 outbreak may be preventing fans from partaking in their usual game day rituals in-person, we are still able to enjoy the season in its entirety and cheer on our favorite teams from the safety of our living rooms.

Fans all around the country put on their favorite jerseys, wool hats and game day faces; families pile into cars with cornhole sets and grills, tailgate ready. Loud music from the parking lot plays as friends play a short game of football in between cars. Tickets are scanned, fans are lining up in large numbers and...masks are being worn? This can only mean one thing: the National Football League is back, but not like we’ve known it in past years.

This year, COVID-19 had other plans for the league. With great uncertainty since the genesis of the virus, it ended up preventing fans from creating the all-too-familiar electric atmosphere of packed football stadiums. During this modified season, each team in the league chooses whether they will allow fans into their games in significantly decreased capacity with the proper anti-COVID-19 procedures (mask-wearing and social distancing). Executives of the league had decided against a bubble format as there are simply too many players in the league; instead, they are following a traditional travelling format, similar to the MLB. In the beginning of the season, protocols were laid out, like recommended mask wearing for players on the sidelines. Seems easy enough...right?

The NFL seemed to have a strong grip on the control of COVID-19 cases within their teams, but things began to go awry quickly as the first outbreak fell upon the league within the Tennessee Titans organization. 18 members of the organization tested positive for JackCOVID-19, some being players, others Dolteam staff. The Titans’ staff has stated that their they have been doing a great job following the Colts rules the league has set in place, and have turned over videotapes to prove their honesty.

However, with the outbreak up in New England, things have become a little bit more suspicious than in Tennessee. Cam Newton, the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback, has contracted the virus. The interesting part about this is that no one else on the Patriots tested positive. This means that he could have been reckless with mask-wearing or possibly spending time with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. This raises one major question: Is he taking the NFL’s rules seriously? Since his contraction of the virus, three other positive cases have popped up, namely

by Stephon Gilmore and Bill Murray, per WWLP news. The fourth name has not yet been released to the public.

With these positive tests from Newton, Gilmore and Murray, the Patriots had to halt their season play for a short amount of time, with their game against the Kansas City Chiefs being postponed. This postponement is extremely crucial to the league, because hypothetically, if Cam Newton took the field without a mask, he would be exposing Patriots players, as well as Chiefs players who have been obeying the league’s rules and restrictions. Gilmore tested positive just two days after Photo Courtesy of @Patriots on Instagram

New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton was the first athlete in the organization to test positive for COVID-19. Since his diagnosis on Oct. 3, three of his teammates have also tested positive.

SPORTS 16 Stag Spotlight: Seamus O'Brien @Fairfield Mirror

Week of October 14, 2020

By Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor, Executive Editor

Seamus O’Brien ‘20 was a member of the Fairfield University men’s rowing team for the past four years. As a graduate from the Charles F. Dolan School of Business with a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in both marketing and management, He has chosen to extend his collegiate career for an extra year as he pursues his master’s degree in business administration.

Following the abrupt end to the school year last spring, O’Brien was not able to see competition during his senior season.

Feeling unfulfilled and hungry for more, he felt he had unfinished business on the team and decided to take advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted to him by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We had worked so hard last year that it just felt like I needed to come back and complete what we had been working for the last four years,” stated the graduate student-athlete in an email.

His love for the sport has been strong enough to pull him back into competing, and O’Brien credits his development as a person to his participation on the team. He thanks the rowing program for teaching him how to be an impactful member of society.

“It has helped me grow in so many ways into the person I have become. I can never fully express into words what the sport means to me,” O’Brien said.

Head coach Casey Fuller was an athlete on the rowing team, and after graduating in 2018 he returned to the team to continue his legacy at Fairfield from a coaching perspective.

Although pursuing some sort of role on the coaching staff was a consideration for O’Brien during his fifth year, he said that, “when the fall races were cancelled it just seemed in the team's best interest for me to train all year with our new recruits.” He added that his presence as an athlete could contribute to creating the strongest bonds between rowers, which is necessary for a successful season.

As a two-time, back-to-back, former captain, O’Brien is no stranger to assuming a role of seniority and leadership among his teammates.

Although he was not named captain this year, he expressed his excitement to watch his fellow rowers take the lead and assume leadership positions of their own.

“After two years, it’s definitely sometimes an instinct to step up because of my passion for the team and the sport, but it’s been awesome seeing the new upperclass-

fairfieldmirror.com

men take on the responsibility and excel,” he added, encouragingly.

O’Brien’s plate is exceptionally full, as he balances two parttime jobs and five graduate courses, all on top of the rigorously demanding schedule of a collegiate rower.

He sees a vast difference between undergraduate and graduate workloads, in regard to difficulty; however, the pandemic has made it tougher to compare the two experiences, as they have been so different. He works from morning until night, waking up to train, spending the day working and then taking night classes, in efforts to manage his many responsibilities.

The Pennsylvania native’s expectations for his final season stand true, despite the unpredictability that accompanies the time. “I have goals every year, no matter the world around us,” said O’Brien. “I want to win a championship with this team and continue to build our reputation in the rowing world. As long as I give everything I have for my teammates and they do so in return, I will be proud of what we accomplish.”

Thus far, the team has faced many challenges as a result of the coronavirus and the restrictions it

Sports Editor: Julia Lanzillotta » julia.lanzillotta@student.fairfield.edu

imposes. The new ergometer room, which was set to be completed this fall in John C. Dolan Hall is yet another project which has been postponed. Without this brand new practice facility, and small training groups implemented, the team is forced to roll with the punches.

“With these smaller groups, practice times have been more dynamic. As a team we have learned that no matter what is happening with the surrounding environment, we need to continue to work and adapt to the situation. We can’t stop working,” he implored.

O’Brien noted how drastically his experience as a studentathlete has transformed since last March, and detailed what a toll it has taken on the men. “Like everyone, I think it has had an affect on how we work, train and live. Particularly mentally, it is difficult to keep pushing everyday for something that is still uncertain,” he admitted. “However, our goals do not change.”

The men’s rowing team must keep their eyes on the prize, which is medaling at the Dad Vail Regatta in May, and then going on to qualify at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship Regatta. O’Brien has been able to look past the adversity, and remains adamant about achieving these end goals.

“I am here to win championships with my rowing brothers.

We want to compete, and no matter what happens, we will give our best effort every day.”

Photo Contributed by Michael Bottega

While earning his MBA at the Dolan School of Business, former captain Seamus O'Brien has decided to return to the Fairfield University men's rowing team for one more year of competition.